One Short Day
by Diamondsonmyteeth
Summary: What did Elphie and Glinda get up to in the Emerald City before they were summoned to see the Wizard?
1. Chapter 1

"How about this one?" Glinda asked as she pulled a pale green midi dress out from her cupboard.

"Trying to blend in with the locals, are we?" Elphie replied with a hint of sarcasm. "That's what – your fifth dress? We're only going for two days you know."

"I know," she bubbled. "But this is the Emerald City we're talking about. So, what have you packed?" she asked, bouncing over her bed to Elphie's side of the room.

"This," Elphaba held up a long-sleeved, high-necked, three-quarter-length black dress.

"And...?" Glinda pressed.

"That's all. The only other clothes I have are my school uniform."

"Oh," Glinda was lost for words. "At least it will go nicely with the hat. You were planning on taking the hat, weren't you?"

"Of course," Elphie giggled. "I love that hat."

* * *

The following morning, Elphaba and Glinda boarded a train bound for the City of Emeralds. Boq and Nessa came to the station to wish them bon voyage. Even Fiyero was there. Elphie's heart skipped a beat when she saw him standing there, and she couldn't help remembering that day they had rescued the lion cub.

Glinda attempted to get Fiyero's attention, but he appeared to have eyes only for her roommate. Walking up to her, he handed her a bunch of flowers. "I'm happy for you," he said. "After all, this is your dream, isn't it?"

Elphaba nodded, but couldn't manage to say anything. She accepted the flowers before jumping onto the train behind Glinda.

* * *

By the time the train pulled into the Emerald City four hours later, Glinda had already re-applied her make-up at least fifty times. It seemed that way to Elphaba, anyway. But then again, she had spent the entire journey reading and re-reading the letter Madame Morrible had given her, so she couldn't really blame her roommate.

After stepping onto the platform, the two girls caught a carriage to their hotel. Before she could even utter a word, Glinda had already claimed the bed by the window and had begun to hang up her dresses in the wardrobe on the far wall.

Elphaba watched her friend extract two other dresses besides the peach frock she was currently wearing, from her suitcase ("For Oz's sake I don't even know why you brought a suitcase," Elphaba thought) and hang them up. One was strapless, made out of purple satin and the other was yellow with flowers and piping on the layered skirt. In the end she hadn't packed the green dress.

"And there's still room for you to hang up your black dress," Glinda beamed.

Elphaba beamed back. Her roommate was so clueless sometimes, but she could always make Elphie laugh.

"Let's just get some sleep Glinda," Elphie said. "We've got a big day tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2

Glinda was already awake when Elphaba woke up the next morning. She was standing in the hotel bathroom in her nightgown and was fixing her hair. All three of her dresses were laid out on her bed. Elphaba sighed. Knowing Glinda, she had no doubt that they'd be here for hours.

An hour later, Glinda waltzed out of the bathroom, followed by a huge cloud of sweetly perfumed air. Her gold hair was brushed with a gentle curl and she was wearing the yellow dress. The outfit was completed with strappy golden heels and a little yellow purse.

"All yours," Glinda gestured towards the bathroom. Elphie, however was already dressed, complete with her sharp black hat and black over-the-shoulder bag, and was sitting on her bed.

"I've been waiting for you," she yawned.

"Don't you want to get ready?" Glinda asked, puzzled. "Today is the day you meet the Wizard – what you've worked and waited for. You want to look your best, don't you?"

"I thought we covered this before we left Shiz," Elphaba practically moaned. "I don't have anything else."

* * *

The two good friends hadn't been waiting long when there was a knock on their hotel room door.

"Miss Elphaba Thropp?" the timid hotel attendant enquired when Glinda answered the door.

"Yes?" Elphaba replied dully. She looked down so that she didn't have to see his eyes travel from where they had been focused on Glinda to her, the girl with green oily skin. Clearly he had thought the other girl, the beautiful blonde was Elphaba, and his expression turned to one of confusion mixed with horror as he realised that this was not the case. Elphaba was not that girl and she never would be.

"Yes," Elphaba repeated. She got up off the bed and walked over to the door. "What do you want?"

"The carriage is outside to escort you and your friend into the Emerald City before your meeting with his Ozness today."

"Thank you," said Glinda eagerly. "We'll be ready in five minutes."

* * *

Not an hour later the carriage arrived in the main square of the Emerald City.

"Why is it called the Emerald City?" Glinda asked as she looked around. "There isn't much here that is green, is there Elphie? Other than you."

Elphie scowled, but she had spotted something out of the corner of her eye. "I think you'll find this is why it's called the City of Emeralds," she said as she dragged Glinda off in the direction of the cart.

A tiny man – probably a Munchkin was standing by a cart overflowing with round-rimmed, green tinted sunglasses.

"Two pairs please," Elphaba said. After handing the Munchkin the money, she slid one pair onto her roommate's nose. "Better?" she asked.

But Glinda was speechless. "It's so grand!" she breathed

Elphaba rolled her eyes as she put on her green spectacles. That was when she too was spellbound by this amazing city. "So green," she exclaimed.

* * *

Glinda insisted that they go and see WIZOMANIA! Elphie wasn't all that keen on the idea, but to her surprise, she actually enjoyed it. She had never been allowed to go to a musical before – that was the sort of thing Frex took Nessa to, while she was left behind at home with Nanny.

* * *

After WIZOMANIA! the pair wandered into town for some lunch. And that was where Glinda spied her heart's desire – a dress salon.

Going clothes shopping was the last thing Elphaba wanted to do, but Glinda wouldn't take no for an answer. She dragged Elphie inside and headed straight for the party dress section.

"Now we can find you something stunning for your meeting with the Wizard." Glinda squealed.

Elphaba tried to protest, but Glinda was already rifling through rows and rows of party dresses and evening gowns.

"I can't afford to buy anything, even if I wanted to," Elphie told her friend. "Which I don't," she added quietly.

"Don't be silly," Glinda said. "I'll buy it for you. This is your day – you deserve a treat."

That made Elphie smile, but her grin disappeared when she saw the dress Glinda had selected for her. It was a full-length, white strapless ballgown with a full skirt decorated with grey O's. The finishing touch was a bright red silk shawl, also floor length.

"Isn't it beautiful!" Glinda cried. Elphaba winced.

"Why don't you just go ahead and buy one," Elphie told her. "Don't worry about me."

Glinda seemed sad, but only for a moment; for as soon as she started searching through the dresses she was happy once again. In the end, she chose a long white dress with silver sleeves and detailing on the bodice.

"Ooh," she cried. "Fiyero will love this."

That just made Elphaba more sad, but she tried not to be disheartened. In a few hours, she was going to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

* * *

As the girls walked out of the dress shop, they were greeted by a man dressed all in green. Elphaba guessed he was an Ozian official. Her heartbeat quickened.

"You must be Miss Elphaba," the Ozian official said.

"Yes," Elphaba replied. "And this is my friend, Ga-"

"Glinda," her roommate interrupted. "The GA is silent."

The Ozian official seemed frazzled by Glinda's introduction, but he regained his composure a few seconds later. "Yes, well, the Wizard is ready to see you."

Glinda grinned and squeezed her friend's emerald hand. Elphaba breathed in deeply. It was time.


End file.
